Special report: Hamas-led cabinet takes office

    GAZA, April 17 (Xinhua) -- A member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said on Monday that Prime Minster Ismail Haneya wants to form a national coalition "to face the international pressure on the Palestinian people."

    Kayed al-Ghoul, a member of PFLP's political bureau, made the remarks in an interview with "Voice of Palestine."

    "Haneya seeks a national unity which enables all Palestinian parties to join a national government that empowers Palestinians to face international force," said al-Ghoul.

    His comments came one day after Haneya told representatives of Palestinian factions excluding Fatah that he is still willing to form an expanded coalition government.

    However, al-Ghoul said he didn't expect Haneya to adopt political agenda of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), which Hamas denied as the sole representative of the Palestinian people.

    Earlier, al-Ghoul said that Hamas' refusal to recognize the PLO as the only legitimate representative of all Palestinians was the reason why the PFLP refused to join the Hamas-led cabinet.

    Hamas, which is sworn to Israel's destruction, is facing heavy financial and diplomatic pressure from the U.S. government, the EU and Israel because it refuses to recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept previous agreements. Enditem